Wolverine Launches N​ew Weekly INFINITE COMICS Series! Four Premiere 13-Chapter Series Featuring Leading Marvel Superheroes and Creators

 

New York, NY—March 11, 2013—Get ready for a weekly comics experience featuring the most popular super heroes by the most talented creators, in an innovative format that will leave you demanding more! Announced yesterday at the Marvel House of Ideas panel during SXSW, beginning Tuesday July 9th Marvel will release a new InfiniteComic every week for an entire year spotlighting four of Marvel’s biggest characters in a 13-chapter series. Designed specifically for mobile devices and fully embracing the technological opportunities, Infinite Comics are the first to treat these devices as a new canvas, creating comics designed for a new generation of users.  Not only will these new Infinite Comics will feature some of the most popular heroes in comics today but they’ll also boast some of the best creative talent in the industry!

                                                                                                                                                                                          

To kick things off, fans are in for the ride of their life as superstar creators Jason Aaron, Jason Latour and Paco Diaz take Wolverine back to the Far East in Wolverine: Japan’s Most Wanted. The Silver Samurai has his sights set on Wolverine and will do anything he can to get rid of him, including unleashing a horde of deadly ninjas, and the mutant mass murderer – Sabretooth!

 

“We call these Infinite Comics because the storytelling possibilities are, frankly, infinite,” said Alonso. “Perfect for new readers, but also set in current continuity to provide interest for long time fans, Wolverine: Japan’s Most Wanted follows right in line with the premium content fans have come to expect in this new medium. Throw in top creative talent and these Infinite Comics become a force to be reckoned with.”

 

Ignited by the red-hot success of Infinite Comics in 2012, and combined with the demand from fans and creators who saw a world of infinite potential in this new format, these stories are designed specifically for mobile devices and fully embracing the technological opportunities. 

 

“Following the critical acclaim we had with Avengers VS. X-Men and Ultimate Spider-Man last year, we wanted to take advantage of the technical aspects of the digital reading experience take it to the next level,” explained Peter Phillips, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Marvel Digital Media Group. “By providing these comics on a weekly basis, we are furthering our commitment to bringing a new kind of digital reading experience to a wider audience than ever before.”

 

This is first time Marvel has ever offered all-new weekly digital comics content, and this June – Marvel is doing it style!

 

“Wolverine is one of our most popular characters both in and out of comics,” explained David Gabriel, SVP of Publishing, Print & Digital Sales. “What’s great about kicking off our weekly series with Wolverine, we’re hoping new fans might find interest in other stories featuring him and head on out to their local comic shops for more!”

 

Available right at your fingertips, these new Infinite Comics will be available on the Marvel Comics app (for iPhone®, iPad®, iPod Touch® & AndroidTM devices) and online in the Marvel Digital Comics Shop!

 

Marvel’s PROJECT GAMMA—The Sound Of Things to Come! Leading Entertainmen​t Company Introduces Innovative Immersive Audio Comics Experience

 

New York, NY—March 11th, 2013—The future of digital comics must heard to believed—enter Project Gamma! As announced yesterday at SXSW 2013’s Interactive Expo during the Marvel: House of Ideas panel, Marvel is pushing the barriers of what has been considered a traditional comic with the introduction of Project Gamma – a unique, immersive experience that brings fully adaptive music and sound together with digital comics to create a whole new audio-visual event. An industry first, this exciting innovation will launch later in 2013. Project Gamma is the result of a landmark partnership between Marvel Entertainment, Momentum Worldwide and CORD (A Cutting Edge Company), whose composers & producers have worked on award-winning films such as the Harry Potter series, Looper, Drive and The King’s Speech.

“Last year we pioneered storytelling language and visual experience of digital comics with the introduction of Marvel Infinite Comics. This year we’re innovating again, redefining the digital comics experience by fully utilizing mobile device technology to further enhance the emotional resonance of Marvel’s epic stories through Project Gamma”, said Peter Phillips, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Marvel Digital Media Group. “Working with Momentum Worldwide & CORD, we’ve created an adaptive audio experience that dynamically tailors itself to both the events in the comic and the individual reader’s behavior, from lingering on panels to quickly swiping between pages. Every fan’s reading experience is unique.”

 

Now Project Gamma joins the next phase of the Marvel ReEvolution, alongside several other landmark initiatives, continuing Marvel’s unwavering commitment to delivering the ultimate fan experience!

 

“From a creative standpoint, I couldn’t be more excited to evolve comic storytelling with the inclusion of audio that reaffirms Marvel’s unwavering commitment to the growth and innovation of  digital comics in the experience we’ve codenamed Project Gamma”, said Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief, Marvel Entertainment. “The inclusion of adaptive audio adds another layer of emotion to the reading experience, drawing fans deeper into the story in way they’ve never experienced before. Most importantly, this doesn’t turn the comic into something else—readers still control the pace of the story and the story is still driven by the words and images that define this medium.”

 

Since the launch of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited in 2007, the first major digital comics program in industry history, Marvel has been on the forefront of digital comics publishing. After becoming the first major publisher to offer single issue sales in 2009, Marvel has continued to expand its digital comics offerings to numerous platforms, with an unrivaled library of award-winning storytelling. Marvel also became the first comics company to offer free digital copies with select print issues and comic shop coupons with the purchase of a digital comic. In 2012, Marvel Entertainment pioneered Infinite Comics, a new digital comics format developed to optimize the reading experience on mobile devices. With the announcement of Project Gamma, Marvel is the first major comics company to unify a truly adaptive audio experience with interactive digital comics reading.

 

This year, read – and HEAR –  comics books like never before with Project Gamma, Marvel’s innovative, intuitive and immersive new adaptive audio experience!

 

Stay tuned to www.marvel.com for more information on Project Gamma and more of Marvel’s groundbreaking SXSW announcements. Join the conversation on twitter using #MarvelSXSW.

 

MARVEL UNLIMITED –The Ultimate Marvel Experience!

Access to Over 13,000 Comics via Marvel’s All-New Subscription App for iPhone, iPad & iPod touch and Streaming Service

 

New York, NY—March 11th, 2013—Prepare for the largest library of streaming digital comics anytime, anywhere with Marvel Unlimited! Announced yesterday at theMarvel: House of Ideas panel during SXSW Interactive, Marvel in partnership with Chaotic Moon Studios is bringing fans its immense catalog of digital comics they’ve come to know and love to iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch! Fans now not only have streaming access to comics on a web browser, but can also read the entire Marvel Unlimited archive on- and off-line through the Marvel Unlimited App! But that’s not all, not only will members get access to the best comics around; they will also enjoy exclusive member-only benefits and offers that no fan will want to miss!

Marvel Unlimited, provides the deepest online reading experience utilizing Marvel’s patented digital reading technology while providing seamless access via iPhone, iPad or iPod touch or web-browser. Now you can truly enjoy your favorite comics anytime, anywhere!

 

"Marvel Unlimited was born from two key things: our fans' input and the latest in digital technology," explained Peter Phillips, SVP & General Manager, Marvel Digital Media Group. "We now offer seamless digital comics subscription access across the web browser, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. And we're excited to say this is the first in a series of major enhancements to this now-cutting edge product."

 

The Marvel Unlimited app is available for free from the App Store on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch or at www.AppStore.com/MarvelUnlimited.

Marvel partnered with Chaotic Moon, one of the world’s most proven mobile application studios, to create a mobile experience designed to empower fans to discover a new world of content through Marvel’s rich library of comics. Chaotic Moon's talented team of programmers and designers were not only able to capture the look and feel of the total Marvel experience in the new Marvel Unlimited app, but bring it to the next level and to a wider audience than ever before.

 

Launched in November 2007, Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited was the first major digital comics initiative from any of the top North American comic book publishers. This innovative all-you-can-read subscription service offers over 13,000 of Marvel’s greatest comics—and that number grows every week! Incredibly, the Marvel Unlimitedlibrary is still the most comprehensive digital comics library offered by any comics publisher.

 

Already a member? Don’t worry! All existing MDCU members will automatically become Marvel Unlimited members for the duration of their subscription!

 

To celebrate this exciting new launch, Marvel Unlimited is available for a limited time price for new members—only $59.88 for an annual membership if you sign up before April 15th! So what are you waiting for? Head on over to http://www.marvel.com/unlimitedtoday and get in on the action!

 

 

Mimoco & Cartoon Network Enterprises Expand Adventure Time x MIMOBOT® Collection with Limited Edition BMO Rainbow USB Flash Drives Mimoco Premieres the new style at SXSW (South by Southwest) Expo in up to 128GB and USB3.0 capacities; Also Available Online at Mimoco.com

(AUSTIN, TEXAS – MARCH 11th, 2013) — Mimoco, creator of the MIMOBOT® line of character-based designer USB flash drives and Cartoon Network Enterprises, the licensing and merchandising arm of the television network, are proud to announce BMO Rainbow MIMOBOT, the newest Adventure Time character to be transformed into MIMOBOT USB flash drive form and function. The extremely limited-edition collaboration is the second installment of the Adventure Time X MIMOBOT® Series originally released at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con. BMO Rainbow MIMOBOT is now available in a limited edition of just 2,000 hand-numbered pieces at www.mimoco.com, as well as on showcase at Mimoco’s SXSW (South by Southwest) Expo Booth #422, and at select specialty outposts on planet Earth.
 
Additionally, all Adventure Time x MIMOBOT styles – which include fan-favorite characters Finn, Jake, and Princess Bubblegum – are now available in an algebraic, upgraded 128GB of data storage, and are offered in both USB2.0 and USB3.0 formats. Based on arguably the most loveable, genderless personal gaming system to grace the Land of Ooo, the BMO Rainbow MIMOBOT has been translated on Mimoco’s unmasked MIMOBOT® cap shape for double BMO face time, perfect for getting social at SXSW Interactive in Austin! BMO Rainbow MIMOBOT, as all others in the collection, comes preloaded with an exclusive desktop interface featuring Mimory® content like a full Adventure Time episode and our MimoDesk® personalization suite, which includes BMO-themed wallpapers, icons, and avatars.  

“Our world was so empty without a ‘BMOBOT,’” says Jessica Smiley, Mimoco Spokesperson and Adventure Timeenthusiast. “Ever since the launch of our Adventure Time x MIMOBOT Series, fans have been requesting that BMO join the collection. We couldn’t be happier with the opportunity to turn another fan-favorite into a part of the MIMOBOT collection. Listening to the mimocult ‘does compute!’”
 
“The response to the Adventure Time X MIMOBOT collection has been fantastic thus far, and as we looked for ways to build on that success, we knew BMO was on the list of absolute must-have characters to add to the series,” said Pete Yoder, vice president of consumer products, Cartoon Network Enterprises. “We’re excited not only to give our fans a chance to pick up this limited-edition ‘BMOBOT’ while at SXSW, but also to announce some other great additions later on this year.”
 
BMO isn’t just a living video game console, portable electrical outlet, music player, roommate, camera, alarm clock, toaster, flashlight, strobe light, skateboarder, friend, soccer player, video editor, and video player anymore, silly! Mimoco has added flash drive to its long resume, which gives BMO even more reason to command us to “Bow to your sensei” of memory transport. Lift off its cap to reveal a special rainbow sleep display and rest easy knowing that if anyone tries to hurt your data, BMO will kill them. “Check, please!” The BMO Rainbow MIMOBOT joins another fan-favorite character, Fionna, as a very limited-edition exclusive from the line, which was released – and quickly sold out! – at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con.

 

The official Cardboard Connection Radio show with your hosts Doug Cataldo, Rob Bertrand and Russ Cohen. Enjoy 90 minutes of sports, entertainment, trading card and memorabilia talk. Guests this week: NHRA and NASCAR driver Nicole Lyons Sean Kane of Painted Glove Collectibles Tracy Hackler of Panini America Visit www.cardboardconnection.com for all of your trading card news, checklists, forums and more. Also be sure to visit the hosts blogs: Doug Cataldo - http://dougcataldo.blogspot.com Rob Bertrand - http://voiceofthecollector.com Russ Cohen - http://sportsology.net

sports card radio | Nicole Lyons | baseball cards | sports cards | NASCAR

 

Nathan Fillion Of 'Serenity,' 'Firefly,' 'Castle,' To Attend Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, June 1-2

Joins Stan Lee, Summer Glau, William Shatner, WWE® Superstars John Cena® And Daniel Bryan® At Pennsylvania Convention Center

NEW YORK and PHILADELPHIA, March 7, 2013 – Nathan Fillion, star of the hit ABC-TV series “Castle” and well-known to fans for his iconic roles in the series “Firefly” and film Serenity, will make his first Wizard World appearance at Philadelphia Comic Con on Saturday and Sunday, June 1-2, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

The Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, native portrayed “Captain Malcolm Reynolds” in “Firefly” and its continuation Serenity, vaulting him into the spotlight.  After a few other well-received appearances, the Emmy Award nominee landed the title role in the hugely popular “Castle,” as the quirky writer “Richard Castle,” who helps New York detective “Kate Beckett” (Stana Katic) solve crimes.  Fillion will also appear in the feature film Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, due out this summer.

Fillion will meet Wizard World fans, pose for photo ops, sign autographs and conduct an interactive Q&A at Philadelphia Comic Con.  He will join comics legend Stan Lee, Summer Glau (Serenity, “Firefly”), William Shatner(“Star Trek,” “Boston Legal”), WWE® Superstars John Cena® and Daniel Bryan®, “The Walking Dead” duo of Michael Rooker and Norman Reedus, and Manu Bennett (“Arrow,” The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, “Spartacus: Vengeance”) as headliners scheduled at the event, held May 30 – June 2.

Fans will also be able to purchase “Nathan Fillion VIP” tickets, for the full experience including photos, autographs and reserved seating at the Fillion programming panel, sure to be an extremely popular event.

Wizard World Comic Con events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming, television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more.  Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con show hours are Thursday, May 30, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, May 31, noon - 7 p.m.; Saturday, June 1, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; and Sunday, June 2, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

For more on the 2013 Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, visit http://www.wizardworld.com/home-pa.html.

About Wizard World:
Wizard World produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests.

The full event schedule can be found at www.wizardworld.com.

***** SAVE THE 2013-14 DATES *****
March 22-24 – Wizard World St. Louis Comic Con
May 30 - June 2 – Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con
June 28-30 – Wizard World New York City Experience
August 8-11 – Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
September 20-22 – Wizard World Ohio Comic Con
October 18-20 – Wizard World Nashville Comic Con
November 22-24 – Wizard World Austin Comic Con
January 24-26, 2014 – Wizard World Portland Comic Con
February 7-9, 2014 – Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con

 

Superstar Artist Skot​tie Young Covers THANOS RISING #1!

 

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at superstar Skottie Young’s variant cover to Thanos Rising #1 from the red-hot creative team of Jason Aaron and Simone Bianchi! Discover the unbelievable origin story of one of the most talked about villains in the Marvel Universe—Thanos, the demi-god of death. Who is Thanos and what does he want? How does he come to permanently alter the course of our favorite superheroes? Prepare for a visceral tale of tragedy, deceit and destiny—setting up one of the most monumental events in Marvel history!

Each issue of Thanos Rising includes a code for a free digital copy on the Marvel Comics app (for iPhone®, iPad®, iPad Touch® & Android devices) and in the Marvel Digital Comics Shop. Additionally, each issue of Thanos Rising features special augmented reality content available exclusive through the Marvel AR app – including cover recaps, behind the scenes features and more that add value to your reading experience at no additional cost.

 

This April, Jason Aaron & Simone Bianchi bring the Marvel Universe face to face with the Mad Titan in Thanos Rising #1!

 

For more on Marvel NOW!, please visit now.marvel.com and join the conversation on Twitter using #MarvelNOW.

 

THANOS RISING #1 (FEB130488)

THANOS RISING #1 YOUNG VARIANT (FEB130490)

Written by JASON AARON

Art & Cover by SIMONE BIANCHI

Variant Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG

FOC – 03/11/13 On-Sale – 04/03/13

 

HOAX HUNTERS "FLIP” OUT IN APRIL

This April, the critically acclaimed Image Comics series HOAX HUNTERS presents a fun and unique issue that can be readily enjoyed by both current readers and new fans. Riffing on the hook of the series, where a group of "myth-busters” travel the world dispelling various lore on their reality TV show, issue #9 of HOAX HUNTERS presents both sides of their story. One half shows what happened on-air, what you'd see if you watched an episode; the other shows what happened behind the scenes, how the HOAX HUNTERS team manipulated everything—in this case, a haunted house confrontation—that happened to make it appear to be fake.

"With issue #9 and the use of the flip book feature, we allowed ourselves a dynamic and uncharacteristic way to show what happens in front of and behind the camera to super fun effect,” said Steve Seeley, co-writer.

The issue will literally have two opposing halves and thus two covers, each from Joe Eisma (MORNING GLORIES). Readers will be able to check out one half of the story then flip the comic over for the other half. Brent Schoonover (MR. MURDER IS DEAD) fills in as guest artist for this special issue.

"This is, to me, a great representation of everything that Hoax Hunters is about—fun, inventive, and willing to take risks," said co-writer Michael Moreci.

HOAX HUNTERS has met with critical praise since its launch:

"Fresh, exciting, and delightfully bizarre”—Ain't It Cool News

"10 of 10”—Newsarama

"Out of all the new comics that debuted this year, none of them captured my imagination like Hoax Hunters."—Horror Talk

"A comic on the verge of greatness”—Read Comic Books

"A-"—Weekly Comic Review

"Worth the cover price each and every month”—IGN

HOAX HUNTERS #9 will be in stores April 17 (Diamond Code FEB130447) and is available now for preorder. Readers who want to learn more can visit www.hoaxhunterscomic.blogspot.com.\

 

The official Cardboard Connection radio show with your hosts Doug Cataldo, the Voice of the Collector - Rob Bertrand and David Wright! Tune in for hobby discussion with industry pros, athletes & fellow collectors. Tonights guests: Mandy Fuerst- Tristar Colin Barnicle- Holy Grail (producer/director) Brian Gray- Leaf Visit www.cardboardconnection.com for all of your trading card news, checklists, forums and more. Also be sure to visit the hosts blogs: Doug Cataldo - http://dougcataldo.blogspot.com Rob Bertrand - http://voiceofthecollector.com David Wright

Cardboard Connection Radio | Sports Cards | Trading Cards | Holy Grail | sports card radio

 

Carrera Slot Cars One For The Fast Lane

 

By Steve FELDMAN

 

One of the best part of the New York Toy Fair is just freestyling, just walking around the show floor and see what you find.  Every year there are slot car manufactures, but for some reason this year I stopped and took a look at the Carrera booth.  They had a nice display out front with a digital set and cars running pre-programed course.

 

For those of you new to slot car racing and collecting slot cars, it is a big hobby, but not that easy to find any news information and reviews on, it is mostly bulletin boards and message boards.  I found this most dihartening.  The worst was when the news came from the same web sites that were selling the same products (yes that is a little conflict).

 

Now back to Carrera, while looking over the awesome amount of detail in the 1:32 and 1:24 scale cars standing out on the walls were some sets aimed at younger audiences, and they were specialty sets that collectors could go after.  They have sets for comic book fans with The Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man, and The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Or Pop Culture with a Mario Kart 7 and Disney Cars sets.  These sets all come with different tack layouts and are in the Carrera Go series.  The Go series is slightly larger than HO Scale. 

These sets are designed to look good while you race them and many of these sets have loops, and the TMNT even had a double loop in it.  Each set comes with track two controllers and two race cars.  The race cars are big enough to run on the Carrera Evolution track.

 

Carrera has sevral different lines they are Digital 124, Evolution, Digital 132, Go!!! And Digital 143.  There are two different types of slot cars you have the analog and you have digital sets.  As you can tell Carrera is one of the manufacturers leading the way in the Digital racing scene.  The difference between to two sets is that in analog each car has a specific track and they stay in that track for the entire race, where in digital racing you have two lanes and most tracks can run 4 – 6 cars on the track and with areas for lane changing picking your time to pass becomes important.

 

The cars also come in both analog and digital form and can run on either track with small modifications.  An analog car needs a digital chip installed to run on a digital track, while a digital car can run on an analog track with some modifications at set up, but it must stay in its lane.

 

For collectors the biggest area of interest is in cars.  There are all different types form made up like the Spider-Man cars to actual race cars like the Ferrari Series.  These cars look good enough just sitting on your shelf, but most will race these care and if they build a track in their house they usually have areas in the scenery where they can store/garage their cars. 

 

Just quickly looking Let’s take a brief look at some of the different cars Carrera has for the different sizes. 

 

Digital 124, these cars a built to a 1:24 scale.  This year there will be a total of 27 cars in this series __ are currently on the market with 11 being new and 7 that are still undercover and yet to be released.  Some of the cars are the 1937 Avus Auto Union Typ X #33, 1970 Porsche 917K Salzburg #23, and the 2009 Ferrari 599XX “as seen at the Geneva Motorshow”.

 

There are two sets in this series the Race De Luxe and the Ultimate Race sets, both have a track scale of 1:24, need an area of 11.75x6.20 feet and has a track length of 26.2 feet and come with two cars (each set has different cars).

 

Evolution, has cars built to a scale of 1:32.  In 2013 there will be 49 cars of which 14 are new and 11 have not had their designs released yet.  Some of the car include a 1932 Ford Hot Rod “Fire Engine”, 1970 Dodge Charger Daytona #55, and the Citroen DS3 WRC Sebastian Loeb Red Bull to name a few. Or you can go with one of the many Disney/Pixar Cars Characters like Max Schnell, Francesco Bernoulli, & Lightning McQueen.

 

There are six sets in the Evolution series, three are new for 2013.  All are track scale 1:24 and each comes with two cars scaled to 1:32.  Celebracers, Rolling Thunder each have a length of 17.4 feet and needs an area of 7.12x4.56 feet when assembled.  Fast Classics has a length of 20.7 feet and dimensions of 6.73x5.81 feet.  The Winged Warriors set has a track length of 24.3 feet and dimensions of 9.58x5.54 feet.  Grand Prix Masters is 14.8 feet long and sets up in an area of 6.656x2.62 feet.  The beginner set in this series is the Racing Legends it is an oval that runs 13.1 feet long and needs only 6.00x2.62 feet to set up. 

 

Digital 132 series cars are built to 1:32 scale and can run on the larger 1:24 track.  Some of the cars in this series include the 2006 Dodge Charger Police Car, a 2011 Porsche GT3 RSR Manthey Racing 24 Hour Nurburgring #18, and the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 “Black Falcon #3” Dubai 24 Hours.  Also included are the Disney Pixar Cars that are listed in the Evolution set.

 

As far as tracks go, they have a total of 7 sets, 3 f which are new, and built to the 1:24 scale track.  The three new sets are the Power Racing set is 29.5 feet long and requires an area of 11.48x5.87.  Time Race Set os 26.9 feet long and needs an area of 9.84x5.91, the last new set is the Road Hammers that runs 21.3 feet long and requires an area of 7.87x5.25 feet.  Some of the sets that are still available are the GT Power that is 22.6 feet long and needs a set up area of 9.22x5.54 feet, the Long Race which has the same length and dimensions as the Power Racing Set, The Racing Predators set at 17.7 feet longa nd an area of 7.97x3.58 feet is the shortest set, and the last set is World F1 Champs at 22.6 feet long and 10.53x3.58 dimensions.

 

GO!!!  This set will be the most popular with younger racer & collectors, it is geared to them with a smaller size and more themed sets like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ultimate Spider-Man, and of course the Disney/Pixar Cars.  As far as the cars go there are 38 cars in the catalog with 16 new cars and five of them have not been revealed as of yet.  Some of the basic race cars included dune buggies, a pair of 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia GT2s 1 RISI Competizione #62, and one Hankook Team Farnbacher #123.  For the younger racer there are the TMNT Shredder Racer & Turtle Trike, the Ultimate Spider-Man Goblin Getaway & Spider Speed Shifter, 6 cars form Mario Wii and Mario Kart.  Plus 9 more cars from Disney/Pixar Cars including a Silver Lightning McQueen, and a Mater Hook.

GO!!! Even has 10 sets including 4 for the young fan, and most of these sets have either have loops or banked curves.  The tracks and cars are both built to a scale of 1:43 ratio.  Ultimate Spider-Man Spider Race has 18.4 feet of track and needs an area 6.40x2.46 feet.  The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) Ninja Loop it needs an area of 4.59x3.38 feet to set up the track runs for 20 feet and has a double loop.  Disney/Pixar Cars Silver Speeders set has a really high & steep bank a length of 13.8 feet and needs 607x1.48 feet of set up area.  The Nintendo Mario Kart 7 has both a loop and a bank in the 20.3 feet of racing  track from start to finish and needs an area of 7.68x2.23 feet to set up in. 

 

Carrera also makes GO!!! sets designed for a more realistic race and they are, The Empire Challenge race set needs and area of 4.95x2.69 to set up in  and runs a total of 11.8 feet.  The Power Grip set also has a track length of 11.8 feet but needs only 4.66x2.30 feet of room to set up in.  GT Fever runs a distance of 23.6 feet and needs an area of 8.76x2.62 feet.  World Champions & the Ferrari F1 Masters sets are both complex sets with the same layout, and each have a bank and a loop inside the 17.7 foot length track, setting up in an area only 6.30x1.97 feet.  The last set in this series in the larger Formula Competition, it runs 20.7 feet long and requires 5.74x4.00 feet of room for setup.

 

Digital 143 is the last series that Carrera builds, and as the name suggests the tracks are digital and both the tracks and cars are built to a 1:43 scale.  The series is rather small and has only 13 cars, 4 new ones for 2013 and one that has an unveiled paint job.  Some of the cars include a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, a Ford Crown Vic Police Interceptor, and the Porsche GT3 Hairbo Racing car.  As for the sets there is the DTM Power Race with a 24.0 foot track and when assembled it needs an area of 7.87x4.04 feet.  The Champions Cockpit set is 18.4 feet long and needs an area of 6.40x2.46 feet when built.  Lastly there is the High Speed Chase that runs 20.4 feet long and builds in an area of 6.99x3.02 feet. 

 

Carrera also has a wide range of accessories to go along with your new race track.  They have lap counters, pit area, wireless controllers, and decorations.  Not all accessories will work with all sets, some are digital some are analog.  Slot car racing is an area usually overlooked by us here at Sportsology and Comix Corner but there are definitely an area worth looking onto for both collecting and racing and Carrera is one of the top manufacturers in this sport.

 

 

New York Toy Fair 2013 Wrap Up

 

WOW!  It has been several weeks since the 2013 New York Toy Fair opened up and boy has time flown by.  Walking around the show floor for several days gives you a great workout as you walk about 7 miles a day just in the Javits Center alone.  You meet a lot of people and see tons and tons of new products, most of which will be released between now and September. 

 

We will take a look at some of our favorites and companies that we have covered in the past like Mattel, Lego, and McFarlane.  But, we will be expanding our coverage into new fields like slot car racing with one of the industry leaders Carrera.

 

Today we will look at an overview of the toy fair and just touch base on what the companies will have to offer. So in no particular order read on.

 

LEGO

Lego started the show with the pre-show breakfast, this is where they showoff all their new products to the media.  This year they  will release common brands like Star Wars, The Hobbit, and Teenage Mutnant Ninja Turtles, but the one licensed theme that sttod out was The Lone Ranger.  My favorite set here was Constitution Train Chase, unlike other train sets from Lego this is not a modern era, but rather an old steam engine train.

 

DC COLLECTIBLES

Statues, action figures, movie replicas these are just some of the amazing releases coming out this year.  Batman Black & White will have more statues, and in the same scale there is a new Superman line.  Don’t worry these are in full color, you could not do Superman in black & white.  DC Collectibles is doing an amazing cast of the now iconic cover of Justice League 12 with the kiss between Superman and Wonder Woman, but the Solomon Grundy figure from the Arkham series is AMAZING!

 

CARRERA SLOT CARS

You are asking slot cars?  Why slot cars?  Well Careera has many licensed sets out like the Mario Kart, Disnay Cars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and even Marvel Comics.  But more than that there are a lot of people that not only race slot cars, but also collect the different scale cars, with many out of print cars fetching 3-4 or more of their original SRP.

 

ACTIVISION

One of the hottest video games for families is Skylanders Giants, and this year Activision will be expanding that line with the Skylanders Swap Force.  Swap Force will allow players to swap the top and bottoms of the figure and allowing players to make their own new figures. 

 

NINJA CARS

Ninja Cards by PlaSmart is a new game that will come with plastic collector/playing cards and a Styrofoam target.  You will take the cards and using a flicking motion with your arm and wrist throw the cards at numbered spots on the target for points.  It was a lot like the old baseball card flipping motion.

 

APPTIVATORS

Anyone who has a smart phone or a pad knows how popular app games are.  WMC definitely kicked game apps up a notch on pads.  They have tow games where you will place either an alligator or race car on the pad, and while you play the game the object depending on the game you chose will be in play.  If you choose the alligator when you feed him a red fly it will kill him and the skin pops off leaving a skeleton behind, if you choose the racing game when you crash the car breaks apart. 

 

DESPICABLE ME 2

With the upcoming sequel to the 2010 family blockbuster Despicable Me there will be lots of cool collectibles and toys.  There will be a Monopoly game with a slightly different board, Operation on a minion, and a Fart Gun (The Toys R Us will have an exclusive banana sent added to it).  Collectible there will be minion galore, and yes Gru will be available as an action figure as well.

 

CUT THE ROPE

The hit app game is taking on a new life in collectible and board game form.  There will be mini figures, stuffed figures, and walking around the floor show was a life-size figure. 

 

KOTOBUKIYA

The leader in statues and figures has some more amazing releases coming out this year.  They will be adding to the Star Wars Artfx+ line with a cool looking General Grievous and he will have arms that can either be two or opened up and wield four lightsabers.  For superheroes collectors there is a Cyclops figure and the Justice League form the New 52.

 

DOODLE ART

They are back, after some time away Doodle Art is back.  You remember them the posters you got to color with the thick black lines that allowed younger children to color and if they went over the line a little it would not show.  They were present with a Doodle Art VW Bus, and had some tubes of posters and markers to give away.

 

NFL GAME DAY

This is more for the Sportsology.info site but for those looking to play a fun football game there is NFL Game Day.  Using several decks of cards of play cards, you get to call plays on either offense or defense, you get to call time out, and there is even a way to go for the extra point.  The game is easy to learn less than five minutes and fun to play.

 

DARK HORSE

The collectible division of Dark Horse has a lot to be excited about there is Domo, Mass Effect, and Game of Thrones.  Domo has more mystery figures, Christmas Ornaments, and more Qees.  Mass Effect has more replicas of ships coming out.  And my favorite was from the Game of Thrones line, it was a statue of Tyrion with a battle axe.

 

HUCKLEBERRY

You might not know the name, but you have seen the iPhone cavers that they make.  They have a series of superhero iPhone covers.  They have Wolverine, Spider-Man, Venom, Wonder Woman, Superman and Batman to name just a few, and the best part is that they are SHICK PROOF.

 

WOW STUFF!

When I was going through all the media information I looked at the CD rom and asked myself what is WOW Stuff!  When I put the disc in I was reminded that this is a RC Battling robot.  You can pick one of several different weapons for your robot and battle your friends.  The object is to score direct shots against your opponent and when you hit them three times it shuts them down. 

 

HEX BUG

They were all the rage a couple of years ago and made great stocking stuffers!  They are looking to grow and are doing just that.  They now have cars that drive around tracks, fish that swim (only after they get wet), and for your Hex Bug they have new tracks including tubes that go up, over, and empty out into a funnel.

 

PLAYMATES

Fans of the Turtles have a lot to be excited for there are lots of playsets, including a sewer set and pizza delivery boxes.  There are lots and lots of figures including ones that when wound up and placed down POP up into action.  Plus if you ever wanted your own baby TMNT now you can have them.  In the bottles of ooze there are baby turtles.

 

MATTEL

The consumer side of Mattel was showing off the new Max Steel line with tons, he Matty Collector with Castle Greyskull.  This castle stood over two feet tall and was loaded with detail.  It has the tounge drawbridge, and elevator, gun turrets, and a throne room.  This will be one collectible that every Masters of the Universe collector will want.

 

MIMOBOT

Want to collect something you can use, they this is for you.  Mimobot make USB flash drives with character, or should I say characters.  You can get DC line with Batman, Riddler, Joker.  Or perhaps you like Star Wars then you can get Chewbacca, Yoda, C-3PO.  There are over 100 different drives to collect including Star Wars, Star Trek, DC, Hello Kitty, Adventure Time to name just a few.  The best part of these is that they are flat so they fit in your pocket and you don’t even know it’s there.

 

Be sure to check back for more detailed pieces on some of the manufactures and other here at Comix Corner.

Join Russ Cohen and Anthony Mingioni as they talk about the the topsy, turvy, NHL season so far plus some history with NHL HIstory Girl, Jen.

Hockey | Russ Cohen | Anthony Mingioni | NHL | Stanley Cup

 

Zenescope Follows Alice and Calie Down the Rabbit Hole for new Trilogy

 

Feb, 2013 — Zenescope Entertainment has announced plans for a new Wonderland prequel mini-series entitled Wonderland: Down the Rabbit Hole. The new five issue series will be penned by Wonderland writer and co-creator Raven Gregory and Zenescope’s “Robyn Hood” scribe, Pat Shand.

This new series takes readers back to the original mini-series, RETURN TO WONDERLAND, which was first published in 2007.  Zenescope’s “Down the Rabbit Hole” will fill in the blanks surrounding Calie’s first journey into the realm of madness.  This time, readers will see things from other family members’ perspectives as Calie takes her first, life-altering, journey into Wonderland. 

As was announced in July 2012, Zenescope’s original Wonderland trilogy was purchased by Lionsgate TV and is being produced by Smallville’s Brian Robbins to be adapted as a live-action television series.  This new mini-series will no doubt allow for additional story-lines and appease the die-hard Wonderland fans who can now delve deeper into the rich mythology that creators Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco and Raven Gregory have been publishing for the past six years.

Wonderland: Down the Rabbit Hole will be available for preorder on the March edition of Diamond Previews or for preorder through Zenescope’s official web store:http://zenescope.pinnaclecart.com.

 

Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics and Diamond Select Toys Partner on Tomb Raider Minimates

On March 5th, Square Enix launched Tomb Raider, which stars one of the world's most popular video game characters, Lara Croft. The game tells her origin story, and depicts her journey from untried and untested 21-year-old to hardened survivor. To mark this new vision of a global icon, Diamond Select Toys have teamed up with developer Crystal Dynamics to create a line of Tomb Raider Minimates for their long-running toyline.

Currently in its 11th year, Minimates are a 2-inch block figure line that has encompassed dozens of brands, from the Avengers to the Ghostbusters to the Expendables. With 14 points of articulation and a ton of extra parts and accessories, Minimates offer a full play experience in a very compact package, and the world of Tomb Raider will take Minimates into unexplored territory when the first series of figures is released this summer.

The first series will have two overlapping assortments, one at Toys "R" Us and the other at comic shops and specialty stores, with a total of 12 different Minimates, to collect. A two-pack of Lara Croft with Molotov Scavenger will be available at all outlets, as will a "Battle Distressed" Lara with Armored Scavenger. Specialty stores and comic shops will also get two exclusive two-packs, in which Lara's mentor Roth and Priest Malik are each paired with a top-secret character from the game. Finally, Toys "R' Us will get their own exclusive sets, one an army-building pair of Scavengers, the other an army-building pair of mystery opponents.

Each two-pack will come with character-specific accessories, ranging from weapons to cell phones to Molotov cocktails – all based on items that appear in the game itself. Look for the figures to arrive on store shelves this summer. Comic shops that can pre-order the specialty assortment can be found at comicshoplocator.com.

The official Cardboard Connection radio show with your hosts Doug Cataldo, the Voice of the Collector - Rob Bertrand and Russ Cohen! Tune in for hobby discussion with industry pros, athletes & fellow collectors. SA-GE Trading Cards Tom Geideman This Week at Panini with Tracy Hackler Philadelphia Flyers Simon Gagne Visit www.cardboardconnection.com for all of your trading card news, checklists, forums and more. Also be sure to visit the hosts blogs: Doug Cataldo - http://dougcataldo.blogspot.com Rob Bertrand - http://voiceofthecollector.com Russ Cohen - http://sportsology.net

sports card radio | trading cards | Cardboard Connection Radio | collecting baseball cards | collecting

 

BLOODSHOT #9 Goes Up in Flames
Valiant is proud to present an advance preview of Bloodshot #9 by best-selling writerDuane Swierczynski and fan favorite artist Manuel Garcia! With Harbinger Wars just 30 days away, the foundation of Valiant's first family crossover gets laid right here in the indispensable final chapter of "The Rise & The Fall" – and there's no turning back now. Deep in the bowels of Project Rising Spirit, Bloodshot is about to face the most difficult decision of his life. Confronted with his past as a PRS "Harbinger hunter," will he release the dangerously super-powered test subjects he once captured back into the world – even as they plot a campaign of fear and terror? Or will he return to the role he knows best – killer – and finish the job he was designed to do? Is he a savior? Or an assassin? And which path will wipe his slate clean, once and for all?    Full of shocks, heart-stopping action and more backstabbing than a dozen productions ofJulius Caesar, Bloodshot #9 has its finger on the trigger – and the shot that will be heard 'round the Valiant Universe gets fired right here on March 13th! BLOODSHOT #9 - ON SALE MARCH 13th! Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI Art by MANUEL GARCIA  Cover by CLAYTON HENRY (JAN131312) Variant Cover by KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY (JAN131313) $3.99/T+/32 pgs.          

 

GAIL SIMONE SIGNS WITH DYNAMITE!

SIMONE TO WRITE ONGOING RED SONJA SERIES!

 

March 1st, 2013, Mt. Laurel, NJ - Dynamite is delighted to announce that the one and only Gail Simone is taking on RED SONJA with a brand-new #1 issue launching this July - in time for San Diego Comic Con!  Gail Simone - one of the premiere writers in the comics industry, is best known for DC's Birds of Prey, Secret Six, and especially Batgirl! Walter Geovani will join her, as the interior artist. Covers will be drawn by some of the top female artists in comics today!  We are extremely fortunate to have Nicola Scott, Colleen Doran, Jenny Frison, Stephanie Buscema, Fiona Staples on covers, with more high profile female cover artists to be announced!  Fans will definitely want to pick up Gail Simone's RED SONJA #1 this July!

To help kick off the celebration of Gail's take on The She-Devil with a Sword, Dynamite is proud to give away, to all Emerald City fans, limited edition prints featuring art from the upcoming Nicola Scott covers!  These limited edition, high-end prints are sure to be highly sought after collectibles, and are being given away to fans for free, as premium prints, to be signed by Gail herself at Emerald City Comic Con, to rev up for the launch in July!

"It's like this...even most of the best female heroines when I was a kid were pretty polite. What I love about Sonja is that she isn't polite, she says what she means and if you give her any lip about it, hello, sword in the gut. She's smart, she has a heart, she has some compassion. But when it's go time, she's a hellraiser, a mad general, she's a sword edge virtuosa, she's death on wheels. She is the woman you never want to mess with. I can relate, Sonja. No offense to all her guy writers, but THIS Red Sonja is about sex and swords! It's everything you love about Red Sonja, except with more monsters getting stabbed in the eye."

"Words can't even express how excited I am to have Gail Simone, one of the premiere writers in all of comics, write RED SONJA, a character she was born to work on.  Fans will see in the first issue that she really cuts in to the heart of the character :-)," says Dynamite Entertainment CEO/Publisher Nick Barrucci.  "I have wanted to work with Gail for years, and it's incredibly exciting that her first choice in working with us is Sonja.  A strong-willed female with fiery red hair writing about a strong-willed female with fiery red hair - AND A SWORD!  It is a dream come true that this project has finally come to fruition!  Gail and Sonja's will be the blades that cut the deepest to her enemies chagrin!"

Gail Simone got her start in comics writing for Bongo Comics, home of The Simpsons. Following her time there, Simone entered the mainstream comics world with a run on Marvel Comics' Deadpool, and later, Agent X. Gail is best known for known for runs on DC's Birds of Prey, Secret Six, Welcome to Tranquility, Wonder Woman, and Batgirl.

Red Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, is a fictional character, a high-fantasy sword and sorcery heroine created by Robert E. Howard, and adapted for comics by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith. She first appeared in Conan the Barbarian #23 (Marvel Comics).  Red Sonja has become the archetypical example of the fantasy figure of a fierce and stunningly beautiful female barbarian who typically wears armor resembling a bikini or lingerie.  For nearly a decade, Sonja has had many successful series with Dynamite Entertainment, and she now appears monthly, as well as in mini-series and one-shots, all published by Dynamite Entertainment.

 

Marvel NOW! First Look – YOUNG AVENGERS #3!

 

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Young Avengers #3, from the critically acclaimed creative team of writer Kieron Gillen and artist Jamie McKelvie! The beast that may look like Teddy’s mom continues to manipulate everyone in sight and  it’s up to Billy, Teddy, and Loki to get rid of her for good. Can they succeed without the help of the Avengers? Will their journey to Asgardia give them the answers they are looking for? One thing’s for sure, It won’t be easy! No fan can miss this action packed issue so head on over to your local retailer and reserve a copy of Young Avengers #3 today!

YOUNG AVENGERS #3 (JAN130670)

Written by KIERON GILLEN

Art & Cover by JAMIE MCKELVIE

FOC- 03/04/13 On-Sale – 03/27/13

 

 

 

Play Hawken at ECCC      

HAWKEN™ Stomps Into Emerald City Comic Con
Meteor Entertainment™ and Adhesive Games™ Take Over Seattle, WA with Loads of Mech Action

Seattle, WA (February 28, 2013) – Come and take your photo with a life-­sized HAWKEN mech and brush up on your mech shooting skills at this year’s Emerald City Comic Con, March 1st‐3rd. Meteor Entertainment and Adhesive Games bring the action­‐packed free-­to­‐play first­‐person mech shooter back for its second year.

This year HAWKEN will be playable in booth 3005; Creative Director of Adhesive Games, Khang Le, will be joining CEO of Meteor Entertainment, Mark Long, and many other talented folks on a panel Saturday at 11AM in the Gaming Panel Room; the HAWKEN Art Attack Show will be viewable at Vermillion all weekend for those over 21 years of age (there will be drink specials with your ECCC lanyard); and artists and writers will be available throughout the weekend for signings.

For those who are attending Comic Con for the comics, the original graphic novel HAWKEN: GENESIS will be available for early purchase to attendees of ECCC. Be sure to stop by the HAWKEN booth, 3005, and the Archaia booth, 808, for signings by artist, Khang Le, and writer, Jeremy Barlow. Meteor Entertainment is also excited to launch its HAWKEN merchandise at ECCC with partner Mighty Fine/ We Love Fine. Mech T‐shirts, bags, and more will be available for purchase at Meteor’s booth, 3005, and at Mighty Fine’s booth, 838. Not to worry for those who cannot attend ECCC, HAWKEN swag can be purchased online here: http://www.welovefine.com/296-hawken.

For a complete HAWKEN schedule, including signing times, during Emerald City Comic Con be sure to visit: www.playhawken.com/ECCC2013.

HAWKEN creates an intense and enjoyable battle experience that captures the feeling of piloting a heavy war machine while keeping the action fast-­paced and strategic. The game brings the quality of a AAA title to the free­‐to‐play sector. HAWKEN’s back­‐story will start to be revealed in the upcoming original graphic novel HAWKEN: GENESIS as a part of its transmedia approach. More components of the transmedia will be released in the future, revealing more and more of the HAWKEN story; who are these fighters and what are they fighting for? For more information, visit http://www.playhawken.com.